Duke Makes Top 7 for Elite 2027 EDGE

Manny Diaz and the Blue Devils are firmly in the mix for one of the top pass rushers in the 2027 class.

Sep 10, 2021; Durham, North Carolina, USA; A Duke Blue Devils helmet sits on an equipment chest during the third quarter of the game against the North Carolina A&T Aggies at Wallace Wade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Howard-Imagn Images | William Howard-Imagn Images

Duke head coach Manny Diaz and his staff have been finding a lot of success on the high school recruiting trail as of late, as the Blue Devils continue to emerge as contenders for some of the top prospects in the 20927 class. 

Over the past few weeks, Duke has been named as a finalist for several talented recruits, including a four-star EDGE from Georgia who recently named the Blue Devils one of his top seven schools.

4-Star 2027 EDGE Names Duke in Top 7

On Feb. 18, Rivals’ Chad Simmons reported that Adriel Rojas, a four-star EDGE from North Forsyth High School in Cumming, Georgia, had named Duke as one of his top seven schools alongside Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, Georgia Tech, and Vanderbilt. 

🚨NEWS🚨 4-star EDGE Adriel Rojas is down to Alabama, Auburn, Duke, Florida, Georgia Tech, Georgia and Vanderbilt, @ChadSimmons_ reports.

Read: https://t.co/Qe2GDIvkpt pic.twitter.com/pgrqXIpaWh

— Rivals (@Rivals) February 18, 2026

Rojas has been one of Duke’s top targets throughout the 2027 cycle. He’s coming off a strong junior season at North Forsyth, where he recorded 67 tackles, nine tackles for loss, and two sacks. He would be a welcome addition to the Blue Devils’ class, with Rivals’ industry rankings listing him as the No. 237 overall player nationally, the No. 24 EDGE, and the No. 29 prospect in Georgia. 

Shortly after naming his top seven, Rojas spoke with Rivals’ Chad Simmons about each of his finalists. When talking about Duke, he explained that he has a strong relationship with the staff and highlighted the culture in Durham.

Nov 29, 2025; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Manny Diaz looks on against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons during the fourth quarter at Wallace Wade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Zachary Taft-Imagn Images | Zachary Taft-Imagn Images

• “Duke has recruited me hard and I have great relationships with the staff,” Rojas told Simmons. “The people are great. I’ve talked to players about the coaches and the culture. Everyone there has goals and they work. It’s the kind of place that would push me to be my best.”

While Rojas hasn’t set a commitment date, a timeline for his recruitment has started to take shape. The four-star EDGE is expected to make several visits this spring, including one to Duke in April. He’ll then take official visits to some of his top schools before making a decision in July.

Nov 19, 2022; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Duke Blue Devils helmets on the sidelines against the Pittsburgh Panthers during the third quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

As of now, there’s no clear frontrunner in Rojas’ recruitment, but Rivals’ Recruiting Prediction Machine currently gives Georgia Tech the best chance to land him at 47.3%. 

Still, Rojas' recruitment remains relatively wide open. If Diaz and his staff can continue making progress with him over the next few months and impress him during his spring visit to Durham, the Blue Devils should be well-positioned to secure a commitment from one of the top EDGEs in the 2027 class.

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